April 19, 2012 by cindy

Recipe: Streusel-Topped Brownies

Tags: baking, bars, brownie, chocolate, cocoa, dessert, recipe, streusel

Sometimes, I just want to streusel-top everything I bake and then pick the bits of streusel off the top and leave the remnants for my husband to scavenge.

Sometimes, I do this exact thing, and, for the record, Sean is not amused.

Lately, I’ve been in a battle with a snack cake that won’t turn out right…partly because of my penchant for distraction, partly because I’m pretty sure the recipe wants to torture me. I’ve had plans to pick that streusel off the top of said snack cake, but it just keeps sinking and nestling into the batter, causing me to have tears and sadness. So, in an effort to keep feelings of failure and frustration at bay, I decided to make an old favorite, the humble brownie, and sprinkle some STREUSEL all up over it.

When sugary, crunchy, cocoa laden streusel meets dark, fudgy brownie….it makes me want to add cocoa to all kinds of crumbl-y topped goods–cocoa berry crumble? hello! The streusel is a delightful texture with the brownie and it really took most of my will-power to not scrape it off of all the brownies, I only left one brownie top-less…instead of the whole heap. Now, my love of streusel is just magnified and I want to sprinkle it over everything I love. Streusel for everyone!

Streusel-Topped Brownies

For the streusel:

3 Tablespoons melted, unsalted, butter

6 Tablespoons sugar

3 Tablespoons cocoa powder

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

tiny pinch of cinnamon

In a medium bowl, stir together all ingredients until combined well. Refrigerate while you make the brownie batter.

For the brownies:

Adapted from Alice Medrich’s Pure Dessert

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa (plus more for dusting, optional)

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla

2 large, cold eggs

1/2 cup flour

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease and line a 8×8 pan, set aside.

Place a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water and combine butter, sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, and salt. Stir from time to time until butter is melted and mixture is smooth and hot to the touch. Remove bowl from pan of water and set aside to cool to warm.

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon, then add eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter is thick, shiny, and well combined, add the flour, stirring just until it is incorporated. Then continue to beat vigorously for about 40 strokes. Scrape the batter into the pan. Smooth the top with an offset spatula and sprinkle evenly with streusel. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

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April 16, 2012 by cindy

A Photo A Day: Week 15

Tags: 2012, 366, a photo a day, april, daily, life

4/8/2012: As an adult, my favorite part of Easter is the prospect of deviled eggs.

4/9/2012: Glorious clouds!

4/10/2012: Really exciting to see a little blurb about my blog in print! Thanks to Women’s Weekly UK for the feature :D

4/11/2012: Fresh mint + hot water. One of my favorite hot beverages.

4/12/2012: I have a lot of love for cilantro.

4/13/2012: A pretty sweet Birch Box this month. I’m really excited about that Zoya mini.

4/14/2012: My new little lemon thyme plant.

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April 12, 2012 by cindy

Five Faves {Beauty Booty}

Tags: 5, beauty, favorite, random

A few podcasts ago Tracy assigned some blog homework…five of your current favorites.

I have favorites! I can get with that homework!

I approached this assignment like I do, procrastination style, ha! Well, I got it together and I’m finally handing in my work. You can see a whole slew of awesome faves HERE on the Joy the Baker Podcast page.

I have a long and ever-evolving list of favorite things, so I decided to reign it in and just do five of my favorite beauty products…and even then, it was tough only choosing 5! So, here they are:

1. Brush Roll: my friend made this brush roll for me, it houses my collection of make-up brushes–from foundation to blush to liners, it’s amazing. Inside there are 18 (eighteen!) slots of varying sizes. That may seem like a lot of brushes for one gal, but I have 15 and there’s room for me to add my mascara and a few pencils. It’s perfect for travel and storage.

2. Burt’s Bees Cuticle Cream: This stuff is so nice! As evidenced here, here, and here, I’m a big fan of painting my nails and my cuticles need constant loving from being dried out with harsh removers. This balm is lemony and soft, a little bit goes a long way, and it makes the dreaded task of pushing back those cuticles a dream.

3. Tinted Lip Balms {Korres, Burt’s Bees, & Say Yes to Carrots}: While I have a major hoard of lip glosses and sticks, I pretty much only wear these tinted balms. They add just a touch of color, while hydrating and protecting my lips.

4. M.A.C. Paint Pot in Painterly: I cannot begin to tell you how much I love this stuff! M.A.C. makes these pots in a variety of saturated colors, but I love this matte, pink neutral. I often wear it alone, but it also works as a primer keeping shadows and liners in their place…and, the best part, no creasing!

5. Dry Shampoo: To keep my locks fresh between shampooing, I love using a dry shampoo to soak up any extra grease near my roots. I don’t wash my hair everyday (gasp!) for fear of stripping my hair and drying it out. I’ve used a few different brands of dry shampoos (I have yet to land on a absolute favorite), but this one by Tresemme is affordable and easy to find.

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April 9, 2012 by cindy

A Photo A Day: Week 14

Tags: 2012, 366, a photo a day, april, daily, life

4/1/2012: Oh, man…do I love those two.

4/2/2012: New flats to replace 2 old pairs that kicked it…and puppy paws.

4/3/2012: Making/drawing for a friend gift.

4/4/2012: Coffee table pretties.

4/5/2012: Herb sprouts!

4/6/2012: Jezebel has velveteen dingo ears.

4/7/2012: That elephant is a watering can!

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April 6, 2012 by cindy

Recipe: Raspberry Cornmeal Crumble Bars

Tags: almonds, baking, bar, berry, cornmeal, crumble, fruit, raspberry, recipe

It really feels like spring has sprung around here. We’re having lots of sun with a little chill in the air, the days are getting longer, flowers are blooming, and it all has me craving berries and dreaming of summer.

Though berries aren’t really at their peak this early, I can’t help but daydream about tart/sweet berries nestled in crisp, textured crumbles. These bars make use of always-at-their-peak frozen berries. The easy crumble acts as both a base and topping, and with the addition of cornmeal and ground almonds, makes for the best sandy texture.

These bars are unassuming at first, but I find myself sneaking a corner here and there, the tartness of the berries next to the pleasant grain of the cornmeal and almonds works some sort of magic that keeps me coming back. I’ve been snacking on these with a cup of tea or coffee, but they are elevated even more served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream–taking these treats from a humble bar into the realm of a real-deal dessert.

Raspberry Cornmeal Crumble Bars

Adapted from Martha Stewart

I added lemon and vanilla to the crumble mixture, these additions aren’t necessary, but play nicely with the tart raspberries.

3/4 cup natural almonds OR 1 cup almond meal

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

zest of 1 lemon

1 vanilla bean, split and seeded

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

10 ounces frozen raspberries

Preheat oven to 350*F. Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on 2 sides.

In a food processor, if using whole almonds, pulse until almonds are finely ground, you should have about 1 cup. In a large bowl rub lemon and vanilla into sugar until fragrant and combined. Whisk in the ground almonds, cornmeal, flour, and salt. Stir in the melted butter and mix until the crumble is evenly moistened. Press about 2/3 of the crumble mixture, evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Scatter raspberries over the top and top with remaining crumble. Bake until the top is golden–about 35-40 minutes. Cool on a rack before cutting.

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April 2, 2012 by cindy

A Photo A Day: Week 13

Tags: 366, a photo a day, daily, life, march 2012

3/25: seeds! I’m making an attempt at planting an herb garden.

3/26: Giving my seeds some sunshine.

3/27: This platter of spinach grew up to be a salad.

3/28: Candied orange peel for mendiants.

3/29: Chocolate chip for a cookie order.

3/30: Cara-Cara orange snack.

3/31: Snuck in another Instagram. Charcuterie platter and cocktails for a ladies lunch with Nicole and Megan.

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March 30, 2012 by cindy

Recipe: Chocolate Mendiants

Tags: almond, candy, chocolate, coconut, hazelnut, mendiant, orange, smoked salt, tempering

Tempering chocolate is one of those things that freaks me out.

Not the kind of freak-me-out that spiders induce–you know, the screaming, running, jumping kind–but rather, the kind that looms large on the horizon. The kind that chips aways at my brain, promising disaster, wasted pounds of ingredients, time, and mountains of frustration. The kind that I have always wanted to attempt, but always approached with such trepidation and nerves, that I have avoided it for years now.

The other day, I decided to go for it. It’s one of my goals of the year that I can now check off my list. Not that my list is long and/or difficult, but it feels like an accomplishment nonetheless. Tempering the chocolate gives the finished candies stability, an even, satiny appearance, and delightful snap when broken. I found an approachable technique on Martha Stewart’s website that worked really well for me. Instead of using the microwave–mine is in an awkward area of my kitchen–I used the double boiler method. The heating pad trick is genius and instantly set my mind at ease, knowing there would be some insurance for keeping my painstaking efforts at temperature. Majorly big sigh.

These little gems are simplistic in composition. A disk of chocolate studded with fruits and nuts. Mendiants are a French confection, generally found around Christmas, but with Easter around the corner, I thought these would make a wonderful, adult-like treat in lieu of (or addition to!) chocolate eggs and bunnies.

Chocolate Mendiants

Technique found on Martha Stewart

Since the ingredient list here is simple, I would encourage using your favorite chocolate for these, as well as quality ingredients for nestling. You could certainly make these without tempering the chocolate, though you may find that you need to refrigerate to keep the candies hard.

1 pound good quality chocolate–I used Callebaut

assorted nuts, fruits, salt for topping–I used blanched/toasted almonds, toasted hazelnuts, toasted coconut, candied orange peel (recipe here), and smoked sea salt

Cover a heating pad in a clean dish towel and set pad to lowest setting. Using a sharp knife, shave the chocolate. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners.

In a heatproof glass bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt 2/3 of the chocolate while stirring, until the chocolate registers 120F on an instant read thermometer.

Remove from heat and stir in remaining chocolate–I did this gradually–stirring, moving the mixture up the sides of the bowl and back down into the mixture until the temperature reads between 86-89F. To test the chocolate, drizzle a small amount onto a stainless steal surface–the chocolate should harden into a matte finish in about 5 minutes. Place the bowl on the heating pad and working quickly spoon level tablespoons full of chocolate onto lined baking sheets. Allow the chocolate to begin to set before studding with desired fruits, nuts, etc. Once completely set, chocolates can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

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March 27, 2012 by cindy

Recipe: Roasted Strawberry Stracciatella Ice Cream

Tags: chocolate, coconut oil, dessert, frozen, ice cream, recipe, roasted, stracciatella, strawberry, vanilla

I have a confession to make.

I used to be totally weirded-out by strawberry ice cream. Though, admittedly, I can’t resist a ripe and perfectly red, fresh berry, I have carried this strong aversion to all things strawberry-flavored for most of my life. From ice cream to jam, I just couldn’t deal.

I’m getting over it now and with dreams of spring and summer evenings on the horizon, I’ve been picking up less-than-perfect berries from the store. Mostly I’ve been blending them into smoothies, but last weekend I roasted a pint with a split vanilla bean and the smell was just perfect. Sweet, vanilla-scented, strawberry heaven.

This ice cream starts with syrupy, heady, roasted berries which get stirred into a creamy, custard base, there’s a long chill where everything mingles, followed by a churning in an ice cream maker, and finally, near the end of churning I drizzled a bit of homemade “magic shell” in for a stracciatella effect. The chocolate/coconut oil combo vs. straight-up melted chocolate makes for extra-crisp little bits of chocolate in every spoonful of ice cream. It really is like ice cream magic.

Roasted Strawberry Stracciatella

For the berries:

1 pint strawberries

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

2-4 Tablespoons sugar, depending on the sweetness of your berries

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Pick through the berries, rinse, drain, and hull. Toss berries in a baking dish with vanilla bean and sugar. Roast for 30-40 minutes until berries are dark pink, and the juices are bubbling. Remove from the oven and set aside.

For Ice Cream:

2 cups half and half

3/4 cup sugar

pinch of salt

3 egg yolks

Set a mesh strainer over a large bowl and set aside.

In a medium sauce pan heat half and half over medium-low heat to scald.

Meanwhile, whisk sugar, salt, and yolks in a heatproof bowl until pale and thick. Slowly add the hot half and half to the yolk mixture and scrape back into the saucepan. Heat over medium-low, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the mesh strainer into the bowl and stir the mixture over an ice bath until cool.

Mash the roasted berries coarsely with a fork and stir into custard base. Cover with plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

For the Stracciatella:

4 1/2 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

1/2 ounce coconut oil

Right before you are ready to churn, melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water until smooth and combined. Process in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions. At the very end of churning, drizzle in the melted chocolate/coconut oil to form crackling ribbons of chocolate throughout the ice cream. Scrape the ice cream from the ice cream maker into a airtight container and freeze.

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March 26, 2012 by cindy

A Photo A Day: Week 12

Tags: 2012, 366, a photo a day, daily, life, march

I totally dropped the ball this week and didn’t even pick my camera up ALL DAY on Saturday, for shame! So, I leave you with a phone picture…hopefully it will suffice :)

3.18.2012: Ranunculus and asparagus.